Penn State men’s basketball midseason update: what has gone wrong?

Penn State men’s basketball head coach Mike Rhoades has had a specific philosophy for every team he has coached in his career. His teams out-hustle opponents, run a super quick and upbeat offense, and relentlessly pressure the opposing team 94 feet from basket to basket.

These 2024-25 Nittany Lions have not been playing in that style, and just recently got bullied off the court by Ohio State in front of the frustrated Rec Hall crowd. The Buckeyes physically dominated Penn State in every facet of the game, and Rhoades’s squad could not get anything going offensively.

Ace Baldwin Jr. has been Penn State's anchor for the past season and a half. However, since sustaining a back injury a few weeks ago, he has been disappointing on both ends of the court. Baldwin is only shooting 37% from the field and 30% from three, both drops from his shooting splits last season.

There is no doubt Baldwin is a great playmaker, but his decision-making has been questionable at times. He averages 3.8 turnovers a game, up from his 2.6 number last year. Though, the problem could also be a lack of help.

Senior wing Nick Kern Jr. could not get anything going against Ohio State on Thursday. He has been Penn State’s most reliable scorer in conference play this season, but he constantly got pushed off the ball against the Buckeyes. He seemed very passive, and uninterested in attacking the rim in the first half. This is a big reason why Penn State got punished to begin the contest and Kern is such an integral part of the team that Rhoades relies on.

The emergence of Yanic Konan Niederhauser has been the most promising storyline of Penn State’s season. Konan Niederhauser struggled early in conference play but has found his footing on both ends of the floor.

He notched 21 of Penn State’s 64 points on Thursday and was the only Nittany Lion besides Zach Hicks that got anything going for himself. However, he has suffered from foul issues at times this season.

Against Iowa last week, Konan Niederhauser only played 14 minutes in a one-point loss. If he stays out of foul trouble, Penn State has a much better chance to win the game. He dominated on the floor, scoring 14 points in the contest, nearly one point per minute. It’s been something that has plagued Penn State all season, especially due to how much more effective the team is with him on the floor.

Another reason why Penn State has struggled this season is its inability to rebound on both ends of the floor. The team seems uninterested and unmotivated to crash the glass, as they rank in the bottom two in the conference in both offensive rebounding and allowing offensive rebounds.

Puff Johnson has been a brutal loss for the Nittany Lions. He provided the team with another body in the rotation, along with double-digit point-per-game scoring. Johnson is a great rebounder and has exceptional touch around the rim, providing Penn State with a safety valve on offense.

Johnson suffered a hand injury against Michigan State, and the team is 1-4 without him in games he finished. His injury is "long-term" according to Rhoades, and he remains without a timetable to return.

Momentum has to be built, starting with a home game on Tuesday against Minnesota. This is NOT an easy game, especially the way Penn State has been playing.  The Golden Gophers swept the Nittany Lions last season, and they have won three of its last four games.

After Minnesota, Penn State travels to Los Angeles with consecutive clashes with USC and UCLA. 

These problems begin with the person at the helm. Mike Rhoades needs to find a way to motivate his team. At this rate, Penn State has a solid chance of missing the Big Ten tournament, which only the top 15 of the conference’s 18 teams qualify for. 

Adjustments need to be made ASAP, because nearly all hope in this team has been lost by the Nittany Lion faithful.